The Importance of National Creative Ice Cream Flavor Day
by iworkwithpens
Summary: Mackenzie loved only one thing about the incredibly hot summer weather in New York City: National Creative Ice Cream Flavor Day. It was, quite possibly, her favorite day of the year. Until she and Will broke up. She tries not to remember the first year they celebrated it together.


**Author's Notes: Giving myself a short break from my ongoing stories to write this fun little one-shot. Not sure where I'd place this in the timeline of things…I'd say after the first season, but that ended in August so…oh heck, just enjoy it for what it is…fluff!**

Mackenzie loved New York. No, she adored it. This truly was her home… the only place she wanted to be. Except in July and August, when the heat seemed to settle over the city like a heavy cloud, and refused to budge. This was the one time of the year when she craved England. A nice little holiday in the Lake District or in Scotland, where the sun would only occasionally burst through the clouds and leave you feeling like summer was just barely an afterthought.

She walked slowly through the newsroom, already perspiring from the morning trek through the city's subways and sidewalks, and set her things down on her desk. She sat wearily in her office chair and pulled her damp hair away from her neck. Where the hell had she left her rubber bands and hair clips? She began to rummage through her desk drawers and only then did she notice the unusual item on her desk. It was a small pint of ice cream, the outside of the container already dripping with condensation. All thoughts of searching for a hair tie or a barrette vanished immediately.

She looked around her, desperate for some sign of Will. She hadn't dared to mention July 1st since she had been back… was too afraid of what would happen. Would he be angry? Would he shout at her that she had no right to even say that date aloud? Or would he have forgotten? Would he stare at her with a blank look on his face? She wasn't sure which would be worse.

Mackenzie thought back to that first July she had spent working for ACN. It was a God awful Friday night and the heat was oppressive, both inside the building and up on the roof, where she was hiding out. Worse yet, Brian had broken up with her three weeks before, and she was still smarting over it. She hadn't loved him, of that she was sure, but it was convenient and safe and _there_. She'd taken small comfort in that…the idea that she had someone…anyone.

Just as she'd exhaled another puff of cigarette smoke into the night sky, she heard the rooftop door open and the sound of quiet footfalls coming toward her.

"Is this a private party or can anyone join in?" Will's voice cut through the sound of traffic far below the roof of the AWM building.

"I'm afraid I won't be the best company right now, but you're welcome to subject yourself to my wrath" she responded.

"Wrath, huh? I didn't think the show was _that_ bad Mac" he chuckled as stood next to her, leaning over the railing and looking down at the buzz of civilization below them.

"It was fine. No more, no less. We can do better" she mumbled. She liked the way her name sounded on his tongue. From others it sounded so harsh…like it was a demand or an order. MAC! It perpetually sounded like gunfire being volleyed across the newsroom and sometimes it grated on her nerves. But whenever Will McAvoy said it…it sounded like a purr…a whisper…a verbal caress. Shit! Where the hell had that thought come from? Just a few weeks ago she thought Brian Brenner was going to be the man she ended up with. Or settled for.

"We will do better Mac. Give it time" he said softly, and reached out for her cigarette and inhaled deeply from it. She watched him in shock. They had been working together for nearly a year. They were good together…professionally. And she wouldn't lie, she had certainly given some thought to the idea of how they would be together…personally. But so far, neither of them had made a move in that direction. Yet.

"Did you know that today is National Creative Ice Cream Flavor Day?" he asked her out of the blue.

"No, I did not. May I ask why _you_ know that today is National Creative Ice Cream Flavor Day?" she asked.

"I used to work in an ice cream packaging plant when I was in college" he told her, and placed her cigarette back into her hand.

"That sounds…interesting" she replied.

"No it doesn't. It sounds cold. And it was…but that's not the point. The point is that there are very few holidays I celebrate Ms. McHale. Christmas, in my house, was a disaster. My birthday just reminds me that I'm getting old. But National Creative Ice Cream Flavor Day is definitely a holiday I can get behind! Would you like to celebrate with me?" he asked, pulling a small container of ice cream out of a paper bag she hadn't noticed him carrying before.

"Sure" she replied and watched as he carefully pried the lid off a pint of the sweet dessert and pulled two plastic spoons out of the paper bag. She dug into the container with relish and hummed with delight at the taste on her tongue. Then she puckered her lips and then she shook her head in confusion.

"What the hell is this?" she asked, more than a little stunned at the conflagration of flavors in her mouth.

"That, my dear, is candied bacon ice cream!" he supplied enthusiastically.

"That sounds like a heart attack in the making Will."

"You're spoiling all the fun here Mackenzie. You do not think about diabetes or cholesterol or heart attacks while eating candied bacon ice cream…you just sit back and enjoy the cacophony of flavors competing for your attention."

She had to admit, he had a point. The more she tasted of this odd creation, the more she enjoyed it. There was cinnamon and nutmeg and perhaps even a little maple syrup in there. It really was quite good, and she wasn't even particularly fond of bacon.

"See…I told you" he said smugly, as he watched her savor the delicious concoction.

"Ok, you're right. Now let me have some more" she said greedily, reaching for the container. She scooped another spoonful out and moaned in delight as the ice cream glided down her throat and cooled her from the inside out. But then, she stopped, momentarily stunned by Will's finger on her lips.

"Sorry, just wiping off the excess. Wouldn't want to get bacon ice cream on that silk blouse" he mumbled as he licked the ice cream off his fingers. She couldn't help herself, she dropped her spoon to the ground, reached up and threw her arms around his neck and kissed him for all she was worth. He tasted like scotch and coffee and candied bacon ice cream and she didn't think she'd ever forget that flavor.

"Sorry" she whispered, after she let him go.

"Don't apologize. I think National Creative Ice Cream Flavor Day just became my favorite holiday for a whole new reason" he said, still a little dazed from her kiss.

Suddenly Mackenzie snapped out of her memories of their first kiss and looked around her office for any sign of Will, but still all she saw was a rapidly melting container of 'If It Bleeds It Leads' ice cream. What the hell?! Was that actually a flavor of ice cream, she wondered?

"I had it made especially for you" his voice rumbled from the doorway, startling her.

"You remembered?" she asked tearfully.

"Of course I remembered. How could I ever forget our first kiss…and on my favorite holiday no less?!"

"I missed celebrating National Creative Ice Cream Flavor Day, you know? No one else seems to understand its importance!" she said indignantly.

"It's their loss, Mackenzie. Care to celebrate it with me this year?"

"I thought you'd never ask. By the way…what exactly is in 'If It Bleeds, It Leads' ice cream?" she asked, pulling the lid off the container.

"Flake bars and merlot ice cream of course!" he replied as they dug in together.


End file.
